Monday, 9 February 2015

Monark Starstalker

This right here is my all-time favourite Howard Chaykin comic. Ever.
In The Art Of Howard Chaykin, Howie talks about his early work, and says a couple of times that he doesn't feel he got good until American Flagg. At least.
Ok, let me just get in a car, drive to John O' Groats, in disguise, and whisper that I might possibly dare to disagree with Howard Chaykin.
You're wrong, Howie.Monark Starstalker is a fantastic character, and it astonished me when I read an interview with Chaykin recently where he said that Monark was only ever designed as a one-off appearance. If anyone had potential in The Bronze Age, it was this guy.
He's so cool he even sneaked in an appearance in Disney's latest, Big Hero 6:

I'm not saying Chaykin hasn't done better stories, of course he has. But Monark Starstalker is just one of those comics, y'know?

4 comments:

Marvel Premier was a great wee comic and this was the best issue of that run so I'm in total agreement with you on this one. I really liked the ideas behind the Monark Starstalker character / storyline so was surprised it was a one off - although I think part of that could have also been down to Chaykin taking on some comic called Star Wars! Although I'm not Chaykins biggest fan I though his art on this issue contained some of his best artwork (as did his 2 issues on Scorpion for Altas comics)

Totally agree - I can see why the man himself would prefer work where he had more freedom, but its great to see all the essential Chaykin qualities you'd expect to find in, say, Cody Starbuck in a code-approved comic... Chaykin for kids! Which was great, seeing as I was a kid when it came out - definitely one of those comics.

That panel where Monark and Robin grin at each other after the fight in the restaurant seems like a classic Chaykin moment. Just goes to show - he could do subtlety as well as anyone.

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